"Master, why do you look so ugly?" Back at the post house, Wei Yue, who was teaching Mantis how to write, saw that Chu Nan's expression was not right, so he stood up and asked.
The demonic mantis raised its head and looked at Chu Nan sadly. Although Chu Nan had taught it how to spy on intelligence before, he didn't let it write.
The mantis transformed into a fighting form, holding a writing brush, and wrote a few words on the bamboo slips. It was vaguely distinguishable, and Chu Nan could feel the demon mantis's plea through spiritual communication.
"Study hard, learn enough 100 words, and find you a companion." Chu Nan stroked its head and soothed its emotions.
After hearing this, the demon mantis paused for a moment, then suddenly turned around, sat down at the desk and continued writing.
"Sir, is Cao Cao giving you a hard time?" Wei Yue sat down and asked.
"That's not the case." Chu Nan shook his head. Cao Cao would not do such a thing. A big man has the mind of a big man. If he didn't have this kind of tolerance, how could he achieve his career today?
"That is
Wei Yue wondered why he looked so ugly.
"Expose your bottom!" Chu Nan lay weakly on the mat. He was one of his own, so there was no need to hold it up like that. He looked helplessly at the beams above his head and said.
"Revealing your bottom? What do you mean?" Wei Yue was even more puzzled.
"I don't know how to explain it." Chu Nan smiled bitterly.
In the second half of the Sikong Mansion, I was completely on pins and needles. It felt like I had returned to the exams in middle school. It was still a face-to-face test. There was no outline, no question bank, and I asked whatever came to my mind. Although I didn't want to, but then
I can't show my timidity at this time, so I can only answer.
I wanted to ask two difficult questions, but they were dismissed casually. In the end, it was simply a one-sided crushing.
I guess Boss Cao already knows what level he is at now. In this kind of exam, it is easy to reveal the bottom of his knowledge without real materials. Until now, Chu Nan still feels like his head is buzzing, as if he has been beaten.
Empty out
In fact, it was indeed hollowed out. Facing top elites like Cao Cao and Cheng Yu, I really couldn't stand the test of pure knowledge, opinions and knowledge, and it was not what I was good at.
You can't be asked how to govern a county. You should discuss the theory of relativity with them.
Having said that, I don’t know if this place is under Newton’s control. At least some people with supernatural powers are not under Newton’s control according to Chu Nanjue.
Although this matter was looked down upon at most, the feeling made Chu Nanjue feel that the unruly aura he had created before was shattered into pieces and disappeared.
"So what if my bottom is revealed? After tomorrow's meeting, aren't I going to leave?" Wei Yue said with a smile.
"If only it were that simple. Do you think I'm here just to express my gratitude?" Chu Nan stood up and said helplessly. The ultimate goal is to get Lu Bu the position of Xuzhou Shepherd. He will meet with Chu tomorrow.
Nan probably won't, and will probably enter a state of wrangling.
It's a pity. If Nanyang could keep Cao Cao, the matter would be basically stable.
"Prepare some greeting cards. Before the meeting tomorrow, I need to visit some ministers." Chu Nan started to work on the wheel and looked at Wei Yue.
"Sir, it's almost evening, how can there be any reason to visit at this time?" Wei Yue frowned.
"I can't care about that much." Chu Nan shook his head. In fact, visiting these people was a lie. There was only one person he was really looking for, Dong Cheng, and this was the only person he could count on in Xuchang City at present.
At the moment, Wei Yue prepared five greeting invitations, namely from Yang Biao, Dong Cheng, Xun Yu, Chen Qun, and Fu Wan. Some refused directly, while others only chatted for a few words before leaving. Chu Nan's goal
There is only one, Dong Cheng.
"Zi Yan, I don't want to help, but now the whole government is in charge of Cao Cao. Although I am a relative, I have no real power. How can I resist?" Dong Cheng could only express his helplessness when faced with Chu Nan's request for help.
.
"Dong Gong, if you don't get the position of Xuzhou Mu this time, your father-in-law will always have a bad reputation. I don't know what Dong Gong wrote in the letter to your father-in-law. But if you don't get the position of Xuzhou Mu, Cao Cao's next step will probably be Xuzhou.
Xuzhou was massacred by Cao Cao first, and wars continued one after another, making it impossible to live in peace. If Cao Cao raises his troops to attack at this time, it may be difficult to resist. The position of Xuzhou Mu is extremely important to both his father-in-law and Dong Gong!" Chu Nan looked at Dong Cheng and said solemnly.
"What does Xuzhou Mu have to do with me?" Dong Cheng frowned.
"Dong Gong." Chu Nan lowered his voice and said, "Although my father-in-law has a bad reputation, he always regards himself as a Han official and never takes a step beyond his control. Nowadays, the Cao thieves in the court are becoming more and more rampant. My father-in-law has long had the intention of being a thief. It's a pity that
There is no one in the court to respond. If Mr. Dong has the intention to eliminate thieves, my father-in-law should look up to him. As long as the court takes action, my father-in-law will respond to Mr. Dong at any time!"
Dong Cheng looked at Chu Nan after hearing this, but did not respond. After pondering for a moment, he slowly said: "Speaking of it, Fengxian used to eliminate thieves and was a minister of the country. Now he is serving as a pastor and guard for the imperial court. His achievements are enough.
"
"Thank you, Mr. Dong." Chu Nan smiled.
"I'm afraid it will be difficult for you to avoid Sikong's eyes and ears when you come here, so you can't stay for a long time." Dong Cheng nodded and looked at the sky.
"I'll take my leave." Chu Nan stood up, saluted Dong Cheng, turned around and left.
When he returned to the post house, it was already late at night. Chu Nan asked Wei Yue to rest. He lay on the couch and closed his eyes in meditation.
Dong Cheng's support is useless. He naturally knows this. The court is now under the control of Cao Cao, and Dong Cheng cannot make trouble at all. What he really wants is the emperor's approval. This is also the only feasible way so far.
If the emperor can directly promise Xuzhou the post of pastor in court tomorrow, this will most likely be accomplished.
Naturally, Chu Nan couldn't go to see the emperor directly, but Dong Cheng could, but whether he could succeed depends on the debate in the court tomorrow. If there were more people in the court who supported Lu Bu, at least not one-sided condemnation, then this matter would be a big deal.
It's easy to handle.
Thinking of these, Chu Nan quickly fell asleep.
At the same time, in an abandoned house outside the palace, Dong Cheng, wearing a cloak, walked out of the house, looked around, carefully hid his figure in the shadows, groped his way to a small door of the palace, and gently
Knocked several times.
"Who dares to break into the palace at night!?" A sharp shout came from the small door.
"Those who are going to die!" Dong Cheng said something meaningless.
"Squeak~" The small door opened, and a guard looked around vigilantly and asked: "Why did the emperor come here so late at night?" "I have something important to discuss with your majesty.
"There are many traitors in the palace. Sir, please put on these clothes." The guard did not ask any further questions and found a eunuch's clothes and handed them to Dong Chengdao.
"Thank you." Dong Cheng nodded, changed into eunuch clothes, and followed the guards into the palace.
Early the next morning, before dawn, Chu Nan put on his clothes and left the inn. I don’t know who the unscrupulous guy came up with the idea. The meeting was actually at the fifth watch. In winter, it was not yet bright.
Although Xuchang City is not as good as Luoyang and Chang'an, it is still a big city. Not all the places where hundreds of officials in the court live are near the palace. Those that are close can be said to be fine, but if they are farther away, like this post house, you have to go to the palace.
After walking for a quarter of an hour, he had to get up at least half an hour earlier. Chu Nan began to sympathize with these courtiers.
Chu Nan has never seen the Royal Palace in Luoyang, but Xuchang Palace is not small in Chu Nan's opinion. He has been to the Forbidden City. In terms of area, it is not smaller than the Forbidden City, but the buildings are not as compact as the Forbidden City.
The layout is relatively open, which is also the style of most buildings in this era. Some factors are for fire prevention. After all, if a building mainly made of wood is too compact, it will easily burn to pieces.
When Chu Nan arrived outside the palace, there were already several courtiers waiting, and ministers came one after another from various places. When they saw Chu Nan, most of them glanced at Chu Nan and then left to talk to his colleagues. Chu Nan seemed to be ostracized.
Outside, in the cold morning wind, my figure looked thin and lonely.
It's not surprising, after all, Chu Nan is not a famous person, and almost no one knows him in this circle.
Only a few people who had met Chu Nan nodded slightly when they saw Chu Nan, but they didn't mean to communicate too much. Soon after, Cao Cao rode outside the palace. He obviously saw Chu Nan, but he didn't say hello, he just nodded briefly.
Nodding, Chu Nan nodded slightly in return, and then there was no more communication.
Not long after Cao Cao arrived, the palace door opened and the ministers entered in an orderly manner while showing humility to each other.
Chu Nan saw it interestingly. Some people obviously had low official positions, but they went ahead with the support of everyone. Some people obviously had high official positions, but they were photographed from behind. It was clear at this moment who was from Cao Cao and who was a highly respected person.
.
Because he was a state and county official, Chu Nan was not directly introduced to the court, but waited for the summons in the waiting room outside.
The emperor sat on his throne as usual, overlooking the ministers, and finally his eyes fell on Cao Cao: "Sikong, I don't know what is being discussed in today's meeting?"
Cao Cao suffered a defeat in Nanyang, and Liu Xie was somewhat afraid of Cao Cao, so he did not take the initiative to convene ministers to discuss matters in the past few days. This court meeting was what Cao Cao said he would hold a few days ago.
"Your Majesty." Cao Cao came out and bowed and said: "Recently, Dongjun, Chenliu and other places have been severely affected by drought, and there has been a locust plague, which has caused the people to have no harvest and refugees everywhere. At this court meeting, I would like to discuss disaster relief with you.
thing."
To put it simply, the aristocratic family has to pay. This is not the first time that Cao Cao has done this. After all, most of the farmland is now in the hands of powerful nobles from all over the country. It is simply not enough to pay taxes on the people who have a few acres of farmland.
Although Cao Cao did not reform the tax system when the imperial court was running, he would ask wealthy families from all over the country to donate food and money in various names from time to time.
This time Nanyang was defeated, not only wasting military rations, but the fallen soldiers also needed money and rations to comfort them. The court could not come up with this money, so it had to find someone to ask for it.
Of course, it cannot be forced, and everyone must voluntarily pay and pay for food.
"This...what do you think?" Liu Xie looked at the ministers. He couldn't make the decision on this matter. In other words, he couldn't make the decision on most matters in the court.
"Your Majesty, before Sikong went to Nanyang, various places had voluntarily donated a batch of money and food. Not long ago, if we ask various places to donate again, I may cause dissatisfaction among the people!" After Fu finished the procession, he bowed and said.
There is still some tacit understanding between Cao Cao and the nobles. If the grain is paid once or twice a year, the nobles are willing to pay the grain. However, the nobles are naturally dissatisfied when the grain is paid twice in a row so early in the year.
"These are troubled times in the DPRK. We should take the world as our own responsibility and tide over the difficulties together with the DPRK."
"The world is in chaos and we are fighting every year. We should act within our capabilities."
There were those who opposed it, and naturally there were those who supported it. There was a lot of noise in the court for a while.
Cao Cao obviously also knew that he had asked for grain from the nobles twice in a short period of time. The nobles would not agree easily and let them make noise, but they had to pay for this grain. The people's taxes were already very high.
There is no way to survive. If the scholars don’t provide these grains, who will provide them?
After arguing for a long time with no result, Liu Xie couldn't stand it any longer. He waved his hands and said: "This matter cannot be solved immediately. Everyone, please suspend the dispute and discuss it another day. What does Sikong think?'
"Good." Cao Cao smiled.
This matter cannot be resolved in one court meeting. Bringing it up today is just a signal to the ministers.
"If there is nothing else to do, please retreat from the court." Liu Xie said and prepared to stand up.
"Your Majesty!" Cheng Yu stepped out and saluted Liu Xie: "I have something to do.
Liu Xie nodded and signaled to Cheng Yu.
"There is a famous scholar named Chu Nan from Xiapi. Although he was born in poverty, he has great ambitions. He served as Jin Cao and Xiapi Ling in Xuzhou successively. He has made great achievements during his tenure. I think this person can be the governor of Xiapi and govern the party." Cheng
Yu bowed and said: "Your Majesty the Ming Dynasty, I would like to appoint him as the prefect of Xiapi.
"Xiapi?" Liu Xie looked at Cao Cao, and after seeing Cao Cao nodding, he said: "Accurately, just go to the Shangshu Mansion and prepare a seal and ribbon."
"Your Majesty!" A minister suddenly came out of the queue and saluted Liu Xie: "According to the etiquette system, officials appointed by the prefect need to come to the court to see His Majesty to thank him. Chu Nan is waiting outside the palace now, so it is better to give the order directly.'
When Cao Cao heard this, his brows furrowed slightly.
"That's fine." Without waiting for Cao Cao to speak, Liu Xie nodded casually and said, "It is said that Chu Nan will enter the palace."
"It is said that Chu Nan enters the palace~'
The eunuchs shouted loudly outside the palace and echoed in the palace.